Washington/Miami: The United States is urging Ukraine and Russia to end their nearly four-year conflict by June, offering to host high-level peace talks next week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced.
Speaking to reporters, Zelensky said Washington proposed that the two sides meet on US soil, likely in Miami, to negotiate a resolution. “They say they want to do everything by June,” he added.
The central challenge remains the post-war control of territory. Russia, which currently occupies around 20 percent of Ukraine, is pushing for full control over the Donetsk region. Ukraine, however, insists it will not sign any agreement that fails to prevent future Russian aggression.
Zelensky has repeatedly voiced frustration that Kyiv is being asked to make disproportionate compromises compared to Moscow, which he described as the aggressor behind the unprovoked war. He emphasized that no deals affecting Ukraine’s sovereignty would be acceptable without Kyiv’s full involvement.
Our negotiating team delivered a report following meetings with the U.S. and Russian sides. They provided detailed updates on how the discussions unfolded and which particular points were most sensitive and which were constructive.
Ukraine needs results, and one of the most… pic.twitter.com/fKWhOmSn80
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 7, 2026
Another sensitive issue is the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, under Russian control since 2022. Both sides have yet to reach a common understanding on its status.
Efforts to mediate peace intensified under President Donald Trump, who launched negotiations immediately after taking office in January 2025. His administration, led by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, introduced a 28-point peace proposal aimed at freezing the conflict along current front lines. Talks have since moved through major summits in Alaska, Saudi Arabia, and Abu Dhabi.
The initiative has yielded tangible results, including the resumption of US-Russia military dialogue and a significant prisoner exchange on February 5, 2026, involving 314 personnel. Yet, the most challenging issues of territorial concessions and security guarantees still remain unresolved.
